Disc Jockey Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of disc jockeys to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035 (about 600 more jobs), with about 1,700 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay is $21.61 an hour.
- Projected change
- +3.8%
- Openings a year
- 1,700
- Median pay
- $21.61/hr
- Pay rank
- not published
Is employment of disc jockeys growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of disc jockeys to rise 3.8% (about 600 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +1.5% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 41 arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations with a projection. That change ranks 323rd of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 16,900 |
| Employment, 2035 | 17,600 |
| Projected change | +3.8% |
| Openings a year | 1,700 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 16,900 jobs here differ from the 7,920 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 1,700 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 572nd most of 830 occupations. About 96% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 60 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for disc jockeys rank?
BLS publishes pay for disc jockeys hourly, at a median of $21.61 an hour, so there is no annual rank.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: short-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys | -7.6% | 2,000 | $47,340 |
| Sound Engineering Technicians | -3.1% | 1,000 | $73,130 |
| Music Directors and Composers | +1.2% | 4,200 | $73,710 |
| Audio and Video Technicians | +3.9% | 6,600 | $58,100 |
| Musicians and Singers | +0.3% | 17,400 | $47.80/hr |
| Producers and Directors | +4.0% | 12,100 | $90,360 |
| Broadcast Technicians | -3.1% | 1,600 | $59,570 |
| Film and Video Editors | +3.7% | 3,100 | $75,420 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.